Contact device for electric railways.



No. 65o,|23. Patented ,may 22,19011.

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(Application IdSept. 20; 1899.)v

(No Model.)

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I UNITED STATESn PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM MILT. BROWN, OF JOHNSTMOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA, VASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTACT DEVICE FOR'ELECTRIC RAILWAYS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 650,123, dated May 22, 1900."`

Application filed September 20. 1899. Serial No. 731,133. (No model.) A

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILTON BROWN, of Johnstown, in the county of Caml bria and State of Pennsylvania, have invent-A ed a new and useful Improvement in Electric Contact Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates, primarily, to electric contact devices for use in eonnection with that class of electric railways which employ isolated contacts located at about the groundlevel and normally disconnected from the source of electric supply-such, for instance,

as the system described and claimed in my Patent No. 558,151, of April 14, 1896. Certain features of my invention have, however, a much wider application and may be used to advantage whereverit is desired to make a waterproof joint between a lead-covered electric cable and the parts to which it is eonnected.

An object of my invention is to provide means of simple and inexpensive character for making a joint between the lead covering of an electric cable and the Contact box or clevice into which said cable extends ot' a character to exclude the possibility of any moisture inding its way into said box or device along the surface of the lead covering; also, to provide a joint of this character in which the parts composing it may be readily removed and replaced at any time.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for making proper electrical l connection between the barcd conductor within the contact-box and the part-s to which the current is taken from said conductor.

I attain these objects by the novel construction and arrangement of parts which I `will now describe and which are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a contactbox embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on alarger scale, of the parts in which the invention more particularly resides; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown in Fig. 1 a contact-box of the general construction illustrated in the patent granted to me onthe 27th day of June, 1899, No. 627,476.

The letter A in said drawings designates the base or body of the box; B, its' cover; C, the cup or vessel which contains the movable contact device; D, the vessel or inverted bell which is seated within said base, and E the liquid insulating material, all substantially as in the said patent.

F is a large nut having a threaded seat f at its under side to receive the end of the tubular covering G, which incloses the lead-covered cable GQ and on its upper side a tubular externally-threaded boss f', upon which is screwed the bell D. F is a rubber washer or packing which is interposed between the broad body-liange of said nut and the bell, said washer also extending underneath the adjacent portion of the base A. The interior ofthe boss f is formed with a counterboref2, havinga thread and a beveled or concaved seat f4 below the said thread. In the formation of the said seat care is taken that its diam eter shall be slightly less than the diameter ofthe threaded portion, so that the thread of 4the latter will not form an obstruction by projecting over the said seat.

. In forming the joint the end ofthe cable is passed up through the nut F and through the boss f', as shown. The lead covering is removed from the upperend portion of the cable and its end is flared outwardly, as shown at g, to tit the seat f4. A nut his then slipped over the end of the cable and is screwed tightly down onto the flared portion g. As will be readily seen, if the above-described construction and arrangement be properly made, it will be impossible for moisture to find its way into the box along the lead cablecovering, as it will be eifectually stopped and turned back by the flared endg. q

.If for any purpose it is desired to remove the cable, it may be readily done by opening the contact-box and removing the nut 7L. The cable, having been disconnected from the junction-box from which it proceeds, can be readily drawn up through the contact-box and replaced or a new cable be inserted.

The opening in the nut 71-through which roo lreceive the bared conductor.

the insulated cable extends, is preferably made suliiciently large to permit. the insulating compound to surround the cable, as shown. The connection between the cable conductor and the cup or vessel C is made in the following manner:

K is a circular insulator similar yto that shown in the said Patent No. 627,476, which is supported on lugs .or a shoulder k on the interior of they bell D, with the .insulating compound E above and below it. Molded into said insulator is a block or pedestal L, of brass or other suitable material, having therein a threaded seat for a contact-screw L', and

to one side of said opening and intersecting the vWall of the same a smaller opening Z to The opening l intersects the screw-seat suiiicientlytopermit a small -portion of lthe periphery of the bar'ed conductor to project through into the seat, so that when the screw L is lturned inl its thread will embed itself slightly inthe conductor, and thus not only secure the, latter in place, `but falso elf-ect a perfect electrical connection betweensaid conductor-.and

the screw. The screw is formed with abroad plate-like head, which is engaged by :a spring clip or contact P on the bottom of the c-u por vessel C. I thus lprovide in a'simple 'wayforf effect-ing an electrical and .mechanical-connecti-on which is otherwise somewhat difficult to make properly, owing to the .fact that `after i blockL 4there is obviously no/mean's of access to the bottom or sides of the lconductor to bindit in place.

'the insulator K has been. seated'in lthefbeli with the bared conductor extending into the i The varrangement also readily-permits the disconnection 'ofth'econ- 5 ductorand the removal of the insulator K.

It will be 'readily seen that my invention f isfnot limited in .its application to the pa-rtion-lar 'contact-box which 'is herein shown anddescribed; also, that the means employed for "eecting the water-tight connection of" the lead-covered cable las -well as the means form'aking .contact with the baredcond-uctor are capable of use in other kinds of electrical work.

I do not wish, therefore, to be i limited to all the details which are hereinY shown and described, as the same may be vai ried without departing from the spirit and scope -of my invention.

Having th-us described my invention, what I claim, and desire to vprotect by Letters Patent; Visi f '1; lThe combination with 'a lead-covered'cable having the vend portion of its lead cover,-

ing flanged or flared outwardly, of a member provided with an opening to receivethe cable and with a seat therein to receive its flared or flanged end, and means for holding thesaid llaredor flanged end to the said seat. I V2. Theco'mbination with a lead-coveredcable having the end portion of-its lead Ycovering flanged or flared outwardly, fof amembe-r i I ber and holding the said end formed with an opening to receive the said cable and with a seat for its vflanged or flared end, of a nut screwed in the said opening against'the said end, said nut also having an' I opening for the cabl 3. In an electrical contact-box, the combination with the body or base, the bell therein, the'nut upon which said bell is screwed,- and which has a cable opening therethrough, and a seat surrounding said opening, of a'. lead-covered cable extending through the said nut and having the end portion of its lead covering flanged or ilared to fit the said seat, and means for holding said end to the said seat.

4. In au electrical contact-box, the combination with the body or base, the belltther'ein, the bottom member to which thebell is *secured, and which has an opening therethrough to receive a cable and aseat surrounding the said vopening and counterbored in the said member, of a cable extending through the said opening and having the end portion of its lead covering ilared or .flanged to tit the said seat, and a nut seated in vsaid bottom memcable irmly against the said seat.

5. In an electrical contact-box, 'the combination of the bell, the nut screwed in the botxtom thereof andy having an opening therethrough for a cable, `said vopening having a counterbore formed with la seat at the bottom, the lcable having the endportionof vits lead `covering flanged or llared :to ifit the said seat, kand the .smaller `nut screwedin said` counterbore against the flanged or flared 'end of the .said covering. f 6. In an electrical .contacSt-box,the combi- 5 nation of the bell, the nut screwed in the bottom thereof and .having 'an opening therethrough for a cable, said opening having a counterbore formed with a 'seat 'at the bottom, the cable having :the 'end portionof lits lead covering flanged .oir `flared toflt the said seat, `and the smallerjnut screwed in fsaid counterbore against the flanged `orilared lend of 4thesaid covering, said .smaller'nut having an opening therethrough for the cable-conductor, and for insulation. v

7. In an electrical contact-box, theV combiportion of the l IIO nation with a conductor extending into the said :box from the under vsideiand having a bared .portion there-in, and a v.caporvessel also in .said box and .Shaving Ya split spring 'clip or contact, of an insulated metallicipirece having an opening for 'the bared conductor, A'and a screw Vseated in vsaid pieceand engaging the said Vconductor and having its head engaged vby the 'sa-id clip or contact.

In testimony whereof lhay'e aiiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. MILT. BROWN. Witnesses: K E. SHARPE,

H. W. SMITH. 

